In Love And War
by Lyralocke
Summary: Kataang. Katara needs to know what happened to Aang while he was at the Eastern Air Temple, so she leaves the Fire Nation on her own to visit the guru.  But she may be in for a great deal more than just answers when she arrives.
1. Chapter 1

_Oh em gee guys, it's not a oneshot! Yeah I know. See... I've had this idea since like... the finale of season two. And I finally started writing it. Yesterday. I'm not sure how long it's going to be. probably seven or eight chapters, if that. But uh... anyway, here's the first one. Guru Pahtik is in it, and I so see him as like... a cross between Dumbledore and Ghandi. Which makes him basically the coolest person ever._

_There are some slight spoilers of the season premiere, but they're minor and they don't come up until the next chapter. Speaking of, how BA was the premiere?! Seriously, I was freaking out. Loves it!_

_The next chapter should be coming up in the next couple of days. Hope you enjoy!_

_Dislaimer: I do not own Avatar  
_

* * *

"Appa, shh, no! Please don't, you'll wake everybody up!"

Appa wasn't really making enough noise to wake anybody, but Katara couldn't be too careful. They were, after all, in the Fire Nation, and the forest they'd hidden the great bison in wasn't too far from the city. Not as far as they would have liked, anyway, but Aang refused to let him be taken any further.

"Look, I know you don't think you should go anywhere without Aang," she whispered, looking at her feet. "But… ever since he woke up, he's been… different." Appa grunted in understanding. "I mean… he's gotten a little better since we got here, but…" She looked up desperately, wringing Appa's reins in her hands. "I need to know what happened at the Eastern Air Temple. I need to know what happened to him."

"Could you take me there, Appa?" she continued quietly. "Please… take me to see the guru." He just grunted again, which Katara took to be a yes. She climbed up onto his head.

"Thanks, Appa," she whispered gratefully. "Yip yip!"

As the sky bison took off into the night sky, Katara took a last look at the city. "I'll be back soon, Aang…"

0 0 0 0 0 0 0

"Aang. Aang. Aang, wake up!"

Aang sat up, looking around wildly. "Whassamatter?" he blurted, confused.

Sokka was pacing back and forth in front of him, waving a scroll around in the air. "The matter? What's the matter?" he ranted, voice high with nerves. "Katara is gone!"

Aang stared. "What?"

"You heard him, Twinkle Toes," Toph growled from across the room where she sat on the floor, back to the wall. "Sweetness took off last night."

Aang shook his head slowly. "No… no, she can't be gone," he said simply, speaking as though he was trying to talk sense into the two of them. "Katara would never leave us."

Sokka strode over to the window and wrenched the curtains apart, gulping down the warm air of the city. Aang sat quite still, eyes wide. Toph, on the other hand, still had some sense.

"Close the curtains, Sokka!" she snapped, pounding a fist to the floor in frustration. "Don't lose your head. Do you want to blow our cover on top of Katara leaving?"

"Katara didn't leave!" Aang shouted suddenly. Toph immediately fell silent and Sokka closed the curtains. Aang was on his feet, staring at them both. "Katara wouldn't… I mean she can't… she would never…"

Sokka silently handed the scroll to Aang. He unrolled it without a word.

_Sokka, Toph, and Aang-_

_I've taken Appa. There's something I need to know. Don't worry, I'll be back in a few days. Sorry I didn't tell anyone. I knew you'd just try to stop me. _

_Aang, don't worry. I'll bring Appa back safe and sound. He won't leave my sight, I promise._

_-Katara_

Aang dropped the scroll as if it had burned him. The apartment was silent for nearly a minute.

"See, I told you… she didn't leave," Aang finally said. Sokka and Toph glanced over at him. "She'll be back, right?"

Nobody responded.

"She said she'll be back," Aang continued, talking more to himself than the other two. "She wouldn't say she'd come back if she wasn't going to come back."

Toph just crossed her arms over her chest and Sokka looked at his feet.

"You guys are acting like she died!" Aang burst out. "She hasn't been captured or anything, she's fine! She'll be back."

Aang picked the scroll up off the floor and rolled it up carefully. He placed it on the low table in the middle of the room and looked at Sokka.

"Yeah… you're right," Sokka said finally, nodding and plastering a wide grin on his face. "Positive Sokka is back!"

"Oh good," Toph muttered. "Well, we should probably just go about our daily routine or whatever."

"Right," Aang said cheerfully, tying his headband over his arrow. "Let's get out there and find me a firebending teacher."

Sokka and Toph walked out the door, talking quietly. Aang was about to follow them, but he stopped. He glanced back at the table. Biting his lip, he snatched the scroll and tucked it into his shirt as he ran out the door.

Once they reached the street, Toph fell back to walk beside Aang. "I can tell you're lying," she said quietly.

"What do you mean?" Aang asked lightly.

"You're more worried than Sokka is, Aang," she continued simply. "But you're right, you know. She would never leave you."

"Don't you mean she would never leave us?" Aang replied quietly.

"No, I said what I meant," Toph said with a shrug. Aang glanced at her. "She has to have a good reason for just running off like this, and I'm sure she'll tell us all about it when she gets back."

Aang smiled a little. "Thanks, Toph."

"Whatever, just don't make a big deal out of it," Toph said shortly, speeding up to join Sokka. Aang sighed and looked up at the sky. She would never leave him.

0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Katara couldn't contain a gasp. The sun was just beginning to set, and the Eastern Air Temple had suddenly emerged among the clouds and the mountains.

"Wow…" she whispered. "I can see why Aang misses these places so much… they're so beautiful."

Appa picked up his speed in his excitement, and Katara laughed a little. He landed rather roughly on one of the lower landings of the temple. Katara slid off his head and he took off to find food. She turned around and looked up.

"Guru Pahtik?" Katara called. The sound echoed ominously through the otherwise silent temple. "Guru Pahtik, are you there?" There was no response, so she started walking. It was a little daunting, walking through the temple knowing its former inhabitants had been slaughtered within it. For the first time since they had visited the Southern Temple, she began to feel the weight of Aang's loss. Only then did she realize that she hadn't been paying attention to where she was going and found herself on a great balcony overlooking the sunset.

And there, sitting on the ground, was a wrinkled old man with a bushy white beard. His back was facing her, and he was completely still. Katara approached him slowly.

"Guru Pahtik?" she asked quietly.

"I thought you might come here," he replied immediately without turning around. "I knew either you would come, or Aang would come. I must say, though, I hoped it would be you."

Katara frowned and moved around in front of him. She sat down on the ground and looked at him carefully.

"You know who I am?" she said.

The guru smiled at her. "You are Katara," he said simply. "Aang spoke of you a great deal. It is nice to be able to put a face to a name, and you are much more beautiful than I had imagined."

Katara blushed a little. "He talked about me?" she asked quietly.

"Yes, he did," the guru sounded amused. "Now, tell me why you have come here."

"It's Aang," Katara sighed, looking down. "He's been different ever since he came back from speaking to you."

"I am not surprised," Guru Pahtik replied. "A great deal happened while he was here."

"Could you… please, will you tell me what happened to Aang while he was here?" she asked, a touch of desperation creeping into her voice.

"I can tell you some, but I will not tell you everything," the guru said, sounding a great deal graver than he had so far.

"I understand," Katara bowed her head respectfully, indicating her thanks.

The guru nodded back, then smiled a little. "Now, what do you know about chakras?"


	2. Chapter 2

_Here's chapter two. Um... you'll notice that this story is more emotion-driven than action-driven, so... yeah. I tried to really get Katara's reaction right... dunno if it worked._

_Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar _

* * *

"So Aang's chakras were all blocked?" Katara repeated quietly when the guru finished explaining chakras to her.

"Yes, they were. The problem was nearly remedied, but there were… complications," the guru said sagely.

Katara frowned. "What kind of complications?" she asked quietly.

"Perhaps I should start from the beginning," the guru said with a smile. "Or at least… the beginning of your part in this story. The fourth chakra."

"The love chakra?" Katara asked quietly, recalling what he had explained about each one.

"You are a very bright girl," the guru said, grinning. "Yes, it is located in the heart and blocked by grief."

"Grief," Katara murmured. "The Air Nomads."

The guru smiled sadly at her, and Katara thought she saw tears in his eyes for a moment. "You know him so well," he stated.

Katara smiled a little. "Of course I do," she said quietly. "He means everything to me." She looked up at the guru sharply after a few seconds. "Oh… uh, wow. I've never told anyone that before."

"I have a way of bringing out the honesty in people," the guru said frankly, a bit of laughter in his voice. "But you are correct. His grief, the loss of his people, blocked his fourth chakra completely. He lost the love of an entire nation."

Katara felt tears prickling at the corners of her eyes.

"The Air Nomads loved him, but now they are gone, and their love for him has been replaced by someone else."

Katara looked up at him. He smiled at her.

"Me?" she whispered. He nodded.

"Your love for him has filled the void left by the Air Nomads," he said.

"I've taken the place of an entire nation to him?" she asked quietly, having some difficulty grasping the concept.

"Your love means everything to him, just as he means everything to you," he continued calmly.

Katara smiled, wiping her eyes. But a frown replaced her smile moments later. "That's how he thinks I love him," she murmured. "Like his family. Like… a sister or a mother."

"Perhaps, or perhaps not," the guru said easily, shrugging. "Either way, he is aware of your love for him, whether he thinks it is platonic or romantic. And he has embraced it. He needs you."

Katara nodded. "Yeah… but I don't think he knows how much I need him," she sighed. The guru raised an eyebrow. "Oh it's… nothing, I'll explain later. Please, continue."

"Very well. You were not mentioned again until the final chakra," the guru continued, smiling a little.

"The cosmic power one, right?"

"Correct. It is blocked by worldly attachment. For Aang to truly be able to control the Avatar State, he had to let go of all his connections to the physical world and embrace the pure cosmic energy of his spirit," the guru looked down for a moment. "But unfortunately… it was with this chakra that the complications arose."

"What do you mean?" Katara asked slowly.

"You know Aang very well, Katara," the guru said gravely, giving her a searching stare. "Do you know what attaches him so strongly to this world?"

Katara could honestly say she had no idea. "Appa?" she suggested, remembering how he had fallen apart when his bison had been stolen.

"No, Katara. You."

Katara felt her breath leave her. She stared at the guru, who watched her reaction carefully.

"Me?" she finally managed to whisper. "Just… me?"

The guru nodded seriously. "I told him he had to let you go."

"What? No!" Katara blurted suddenly, feeling anger building within her. "I don't want him to let me go!"

"Yes, he argued as well," the guru sounded very tired as he continued. "He did not understand why he would ever let go of the one he loves. But you must understand, he cannot control the Avatar State while he is kept here by his love for you."

"Three chakras ago that was a good thing!" Katara snapped.

The guru smiled sadly. "He said the same thing," he said quietly.

"Good, then you get it," Katara replied darkly. "Telling Aang he can't love is like telling me I can't waterbend. It's who he is."

"What do you mean?" Guru Pahtik asked patiently.

"That's what Aang does," Katara sighed. "That's what he gives to the world. Unconditional love. All he sees is the good in people, and he loves everyone without prejudice or pretense."

"And that is why you love him?" the guru asked gently.

Katara smiled. "That barely scratches the surface," she admitted quietly. She looked at the guru cautiously. "He didn't… I mean…"

"No, he could not let you go," the guru replied with a shake of his head. "He nearly did, but he had a vision that you were in great danger, and he left to save you, even though I told him his chakra would be locked forever if he did."

Katara wasn't sure what to say. "He did… he came to save me…" she began. "And then…" She trailed off, unable to continue.

"Did something happen to him?" the guru asked sharply.

Katara looked down. "We were fighting the prince and princess of the Fire Nation, and they called in the Dai Lee. We were outnumbered, so Aang went into the Avatar State," she recounted dejectedly.

"He did?" the guru asked in surprise. "He managed to reach the Avatar State?"

"Yes, but… not completely," Katara sighed heavily. "Before he could do anything, Azula…" She stopped again. "She… she… struck him down…" She bit her lip and wiped her eyes on the back of her hand.

"While he was in the Avatar State?" Pahtik said sharply.

Katara nodded. "I think she might have… killed him…" she choked on the words, a dry sob escaping her before she could stop it. "So I escaped with him and used water from the Spirit Oasis to heal him."

"You brought him back to life?" the guru said in clear surprise.

"Yes… at least that's what Aang thinks," Katara said quietly, still haunted by the memory of that night. "He was unconscious for a few weeks…"

"Astounding," the guru muttered. "You restored the Avatar Spirit. I have never heard of such a thing happening before. The energy between the two of you is more powerful than any I have ever seen."

"If I restored the Avatar Spirit, does that mean he'll still have to let me go?" she asked quietly.

"I do not know," the guru replied, still rather awed by her. "He may have to, or he may never be able to enter the Avatar State again."

"I'm not liking the odds," she sighed shakily, looking down.

"Until we know for sure whether or not he can enter the Avatar State, I must ask you for a favor," the guru began carefully.

Katara nodded slowly, urging him to continue.

"Please, continue loving him," the guru said quietly. "Even if he has to let you go, you must always love him."

Katara stared at him, her breathing quickening. "But… that's not fair," she stammered, her voice wavering as she tried not to break down. "How can you expect me… I mean you can't ask him to… I can't just…" She stopped to take a deep breath.

"You have to remember, your love means as much to him as the love of all the Air Nomads," the guru continued urgently.

"I know!" Katara snapped, tears in her eyes. "I know that, and I won't stop loving him! Not as a favor to anyone, not because you want me to. I won't stop loving him because I can't stop loving him." She took a shaky breath and wiped her eyes again, but it was in vain. The tears were running down her cheeks now, and she couldn't help it. "And it's not fair, and it hurts, but I will never stop."

"I am sorry, Katara," the guru said sadly.

"Sorry won't make it stop hurting," she said harshly, trying again to wipe her eyes. "Please, don't tell me he can't love me. Please… tell me there's some other way."

The guru just shook his head. Katara bit back another sob.

"I can't tell him that… I won't," she said as fiercely as she could through her tears. "He knows I love him, you said it yourself. He'll… he'll fight for me." The guru didn't respond, and Katara let out a groan of frustration. "I can't do this, I can't hurt him! He already tried to leave once. He wanted to face the Fire Lord on his own… he keeps going on about how he failed the world and needs to redeem himself…"

"Is he okay?" the guru asked quietly.

"Yes, now he is," Katara sniffed. "But I'm so scared he'll do it again. I can't lose him! He doesn't know how much I need him… how much he means to me…" This time, she couldn't hold back the sob. "I won't tell him to let me go. I need him to love me."

"Katara, I do not wish to put you in this position, but it is the only way," he said quietly.

She buried her face in her hands, her shoulders shaking, and he let her cry. He waited for nearly a minute before she took a few gasping breaths and wiped her eyes for the last time.

"Okay… I'll try…" she whispered. "But I can't make you any promises."

"That is all I ask," the guru said. "It is late; you should stay at the temple for the night."

Katara nodded and got to her feet, and he followed suit. She bowed to him, and he reverently returned the gesture.

"I'm going to go find Appa," she said quietly, too emotionally drained to muster a louder tone of voice. "Good night, Guru Pahtik."

"Good night," he said gently. "I will see you in the morning."

Katara wandered into the temple, moving aimlessly through it until she found Appa. She pulled her bedroll out of his saddle and lied down near him.

"Thanks again, Appa," she said through a yawn. "We'll be back with Aang soon."


	3. Chapter 3

_Thanks for all the reviews! I would reply to all of them, but between work and school, and I have no time. The only reason this even got written was because I had a test to study for and I was stalling, haha. And to any impressionable school children reading this... don't uh, follow my example. Stay in school or whatever. Yeah._

_Here's uh... the third chapter._

_Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar  
_

* * *

Aang burst into the apartment, looking around eagerly. He sighed. It was dark and empty, just as they had left it that morning. They had been out all day looking for a firebending teacher, but the Fire Lord had his people on a short leash.

"She's not here," Aang called back out the door as he stepped over the threshold. Momo, starved for attention all day, soared over to his shoulder immediately. They couldn't take Momo with them into the city. Aang smiled sadly and scratched him behind the ears.

Toph and Sokka walked in just as Aang plunked himself down on his bedroll. He pulled the scroll out of his shirt for what seemed like the millionth time that day and read it quickly, hoping to discern some deeper meaning.

"Keep staring at it, Aang," Toph snorted. "I'm sure Katara will just pop right out of it if you do it enough."

Aang sighed, choosing to ignore her. "'Don't worry, I'll be back in a few days.' She said right here she'll be back in a few days," he said quietly.

"We know, Aang," Sokka said in as comforting a way as he could muster. "Don't worry, she's fine."

"Yeah…" Aang muttered, not entirely convinced. "I'm gonna go to sleep. See you guys in the morning."

They both said good night and he curled up on his bedroll, the scroll clenched in his hand.

0 0 0 0 0 0 0

"Katara… please, wake up."

Katara opened her eyes slowly and found the guru kneeling beside her, smiling. She sat up, rubbing her eyes.

"Is something wrong, Guru Pahtik?" she asked through a yawn. She looked around blearily. The sky was still dark. "It's really early."

"Yes it is, and I am sorry to wake you, but I believe I can help you," the guru replied simply.

"What do you mean?" Katara muttered, yawning again.

"I sense within you a great sadness," the guru said quietly. "Greater than I have ever felt in one so young. Yet you remain strong."

"I have to be strong," she reasoned, looking at the ground. "For my family, for my tribe… for Aang."

"Yes, I understand," Pahtik said gently. "But this sadness has blocked your chakras. I feel if I help you clear them, you will better understand your sadness and your strength."

"My chakras are blocked?" she repeated slowly. "Well… I suppose any help you can give me is a good thing."

"That's the spirit!" he said with a grin.

0 0 0 0 0 0 0

After bravely holding down some onion and banana juice, Katara found herself deep beneath the Air Temple in a dark, misty cavern, sitting across from the guru in her white training clothes.

"We must begin with the Earth chakra," he said serenely. "Do you remember what the Earth chakra is?"

"Um…" Katara began uncertainly. "It's blocked by fear."

"Very good," the guru replied, elated that she still remembered. "Now, what do you fear?"

Katara closed her eyes and exhaled slowly. She remembered the first day she met Aang, when he was taken by Zuko. They found the ship, only to see Aang fall off into the frigid waters of the South Pole. She thought back to Kyoshi Island, when Aang was thrown from the back of the Unagi. She remembered the North Pole when Zuko had taken Aang from the Spirit Oasis, and she didn't know where he'd gone. But clearest in her mind was just a few weeks before, when she walked into Aang's cabin on the Fire Nation ship, and he was gone.

"I'm afraid… that I'll lose him."

"You are afraid for the survival of one you love," Guru Pahtik said calmly. "But you must remember your own strength, and his strength as well. He will not be lost without a fight from both of you. You must let your fears go."

Katara took a deep breath. He was right; she would fight for him until her last breath, and he would never just give up. She opened her eyes to find the guru smiling at her.

"You have opened your Earth chakra," he said proudly.

Katara smiled a little. "I guess this isn't so bad…"

Next, the guru took Katara to a waterfall. They sat behind the great curtain of water, the sound of rushing all around them.

"Do you remember the next chakra?" he asked pleasantly.

"The Water chakra," Katara said, smiling slightly. This was her element. "It's the pleasure chakra, and it's blocked by… um… guilt."

"Correct again!" Pahtik said excitedly. "Now, what is it that you blame yourself for?"

Katara thought of all the times Aang had been captured by Zuko or Zhao. She remembered the village Jet had destroyed with her help. She thought of Aang, falling from the sky, struck down by Azula. And she thought of her mother…

"I couldn't protect them…" she murmured. "I wasn't strong enough…"

"You must not blame yourself for things you could not prevent," the guru said quietly. "We must all accept that things happen, and there is no one person to blame. Accept the reality, but do not let it burden you forever. Forgive yourself."

Katara squeezed her eyes shut and inhaled sharply. _Forgive myself…_ It took nearly a minute, but finally she opened her eyes and sighed heavily.

"You have opened your Water chakra." The guru gave her a sad smile. "You have difficulty forgiving yourself," he stated.

"I just… I can't help but feel responsible," she sighed.

"You must not take the weight of the world on your shoulders, Katara," the guru said kindly. "You are strong, but you are just one girl. Sometimes, you cannot control what happens to you. As you know, bad things can happen to good people."

"Yes… you're right," she said, nodding slowly. "I can forgive myself."

"Excellent! Let us move on then, shall we?"

0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Aang woke with the sun. He looked wildly around their little apartment, but nothing had changed. He sighed dejectedly and looked down at the scroll still clenched in his fist. Why hadn't she told him she was leaving? He would have gone with her. They could have… but no, maybe that was why. She knew he needed to stay here and find a teacher. He sighed again. She was always looking out for him.

Momo landed on his shoulder, and Aang smiled miserably. "I miss her, Momo," he said quietly. "Is that strange? She's only been gone a day. But I miss her." He looked at his lemur. "Do you think she's okay?" Momo just blinked at him. "Yeah… I don't know either…"

0 0 0 0 0 0 0

"This is the Fire chakra," the guru said, his voice echoing over the morning mist from the ledge they sat on, looking out over the sunrise. "It deals with will power and is blocked by shame."

He glanced at Katara. "What are your greatest disappointments in yourself?" he asked quietly.

Katara thought immediately to the day before, arguing with the guru.

"I… I'm selfish," she said miserably. "I would rather he loved me than master the Avatar State. I know he has to… I know how important it is to the whole world… but all I can think about is how much I love him… how much I need him to love me back…"

"Love is a powerful force," the guru said gently. "It is not easily forgotten. It is a form of energy that moves around us and within us. It connects us. We can all be selfish sometimes, but you must know that when the time comes, you may not get what you want. In the end, the choice will be Aang's, and you must accept that it is ultimately his decision. You need not be ashamed that you love him."

Katara closed her eyes a little tighter and felt a few rebellious tears sliding down her cheeks. _I'm not ashamed that I love him…_ She took a long, slow breath. _It's out of my hands. Aang will have to decide in the end._

"You have opened your Fire chakra," the guru said quietly. He didn't sound very convincing. She glanced at him. "Aang had difficulty with this chakra as well."

"Yeah well… it's a tough one…" Katara sighed.

0 0 0 0 0 0 0

"I believe you know this chakra quite well."

Katara sighed and looked up. They were in the temple now, sitting on the crumbling floor of what was once a great shrine. Beside them was a statue of a female Air Nomad.

"The Love chakra," Katara whispered.

"Lay your grief before you," the guru said quietly.

Katara didn't even need to think. She saw her mother before her, so close, but just out of reach.

"My mother…" Katara said, her voice strained over the words.

"Ah, you have lost your mother," the guru said sadly. "But her love for you was strong. It remains in this world, within the hearts of your friends and family."

Katara's thoughts turned to her father, to Sokka and Toph, Gran Gran, all of the friends they'd made along their journey, and finally…

"Aang…"


	4. Chapter 4

_I wrote this chapter while I had some ferocious cramps, so I was on painkillers. If it seems weird... that's probably why._

_Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar  
_

* * *

The vision vanished and Katara wiped her streaming eyes. "No… that's not fair," she said heavily, doing all she could not to cry. 

The guru sighed, sounding tired. "I am sorry," he said gravely. "But it is true. The love of your mother has been replaced by Aang's love for you."

"No," she repeated fiercely, pressing the heels of her hands to her eyes in a vain attempt to stop the tears. "I lost my mother… and now I have to lose him too…"

"You will not lose him, Katara-"

"It's not fair!" she shouted. "Not to him or to me."

"Love does not just go away, Katara," the guru said firmly. "His love for you will not just be gone. Perhaps when the war is over…"

"Perhaps isn't good enough," Katara said miserably. "I just… can't…"

"Look at your grief again, Katara."

She closed her eyes. She saw her mother again, and now, Aang stood beside her. He held his hand out to Katara, but she couldn't reach him.

"The loss of your mother left a void that Aang's love filled," the guru said calmly. "But now you feel you have lost him as well."

Katara kept her eyes closed, heedless to the tears that continued running down her cheeks.

"But you have not lost him. He still loves you. And even if he must let you go, his love for you will live on. It will take time, but he may find his love for you again when the war is over. In place of grief, you must have hope."

Katara swallowed the lump in her throat and nodded slowly. "Okay… I have hope…" she said quietly.

"You have opened your Love chakra," the guru said gently. "Can you continue?"

Katara wiped her eyes roughly. "Yes… let's move on."

The guru took a silent Katara to another shrine, this one a great deal darker due to the shadow cast by an enormous statue of another Air Nun. Katara felt rather miserable at this point, so she let the guru do the talking.

"This is the fifth chakra, the Sound chakra. It deals with truth and is blocked by lies," he said calmly. "What lies do you tell yourself?"

Katara thought of all the times she had told Aang she wasn't worried about the war. All the times she told him she knew without a doubt that he could defeat the Fire Lord. All the times they'd talked about how much better life would be after the war.

"I don't know if we'll all make it through this," she admitted, sounding defeated. "I want to believe we will, but…"

"You must accept that there will be casualties in the final battle," the guru said sagely. "It may not be you or Aang or your brother, it may not be anyone you know, but it is possible that people will die. But as long as you fight alongside them, as long as you try your hardest to protect them, you have done all you can do, and any loss you might suffer is not your fault."

Katara nodded and let out a slow breath.

"You have opened your Sound chakra," the guru said, sounding relieved. "That one wasn't so difficult, was it?"

Katara shook her head tiredly, allowing herself a hint of a smile.

0 0 0 0 0 0 0

"The sun is starting to set. We should probably head back to the house," Sokka said tiredly. Aang nodded somberly.

Another day gone. No firebending teacher. No Katara.

"How many days is a few?" Aang asked worriedly as they turned back toward home.

"More than a couple and less than a week," Toph said with a shrug.

"So like… three or four?"

"Yeah, probably. Stop worrying, Aang. She can take care of herself. And call me insensitive, but I can't help but notice you haven't mentioned Appa once. Aren't you worried about him, too?"

"Of course I am," Aang said quickly. "But… this is Katara we're talking about."

"You've had Appa for most of your life. You just met Katara barely a year ago."

"Appa is my friend. Katara is…"

Sokka stopped and looked at him suspiciously. "Is what?"

Aang blushed and looked at his feet. "She's… special."

Sokka scowled at him. "You wormed your way out of that one, Airboy, but next time…"

"Sokka, would you leave him alone?" Toph snapped. "So he's in love with your sister, big deal. Better him than anyone else."

"What?" Aang and Sokka shouted in unison.

"You're in love with Katara?!" Sokka pointed an accusing finger at him.

"Um, well I…" Aang stammered, running a nervous hand through his hair.

"Oh please, don't act so surprised," Toph snorted. "And quit yelling, you'll attract attention."

They didn't say another word all the way back to the house. But Sokka kept shooting curious glances at Aang, who was just blushing and staring miserably at his feet the whole way back.

0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Katara found herself on a long narrow staircase winding up the side of the mountain, the clouds all around them tinted gold and red by the setting sun.

"This is the Light chakra. It deals with insight and is blocked by illusion. Do you know what this world's greatest illusion is?" the guru asked.

Katara shook her head, not trusting herself to speak much.

"Separation," the guru answered simply. "All the people of this world are the same, but we divide ourselves into four nations."

"We're all connected," Katara replied. "Just like the swamp."

"Ah yes, the Foggy Swamp," the guru said pleasantly. "Though it seems to be a forest, it is really one great tree. Just like the world and all its people."

"We're all connected," Katara repeated. "Just part of the same whole."

"Very good," the guru replied, smiling. "You have opened the Light chakra."

0 0 0 0 0 0 0

"This is the final chakra," the guru began quietly.

Katara looked around disinterestedly. They were sitting on the roof at the highest point of the temple. It was night now, and the stars were all around them.

"The Thought chakra," Katara recited. "Pure cosmic energy and worldly attachment." She looked at the guru carefully. "I don't quite understand how this one will work for me. I don't have to let in the cosmic energy; I have to stay attached to the world. It's all I have."

"You are correct," the guru said with a nod. "You are not a being of spirit like Aang, so you must stay connected to this world."

"So I can't open this chakra?" Katara asked quietly.

"You can," the guru corrected delicately. "But I would not recommend it. You are human, and this is your world, so severing contact with it would be harmful to you."

"So what are we up here for?"

The guru gave her a steady look. "I want you to think of what attaches you to this world."

"I don't need to think about it," Katara replied simply. "I know what it is."

"Yes, but concentrate on him," the guru prodded.

Katara closed her eyes and exhaled slowly. She saw him in her mind's eye, smiling at her. She couldn't help but smile back.

"You are a waterbender," the guru began slowly while she held onto her vision of Aang. "Not only that, you are a healer. You can see and understand the flow of energy within the body. I can teach you to see the flow of energy outside the body as well."

"What do you mean?" Katara asked calmly, eyes still closed.

"I can read the energy in and around people and animals, such as Appa, and see where they have been and who they have been with. By reading Appa's energy, I found Aang. But as I told you before, there is a very unique bond of energy between you and Aang. I can teach you to see it and to read it, so you will always know where he is."

"Why?" was all she could manage without breaking her concentration.

"Your fears, your guilt, your shame, your grief, your lies, they all relate to Aang," the guru replied. "The sadness within you is caused by separation from him. However, as I told you before, separation is an illusion."

"Aang and I are connected," she continued for him.

"Exactly," he said, and she could hear the smile in his voice. "If you can understand this connection on a deeper level, you will see that you are never truly apart."

"Okay, teach me," she agreed simply.

"Excellent. Are you still concentrating on him?"

"Always."

"Can you see him in your mind's eye?"

"Yes."

"Now… evoke within yourself the powers of healing," the guru said serenely. "See the movement of chi out of you, and toward him."

Katara relaxed slightly, settling herself into the mindset she used when healing. She felt her chi moving within her, flowing naturally through her and out of her, only to be replaced by more chi moving into her from somewhere else.

"Follow the stream of energy as it leaves you."

She focused on the chi leaving her, and she felt it moving. It was a strange feeling, as though she was leaping over a vast expanse of time and space. She felt something stopping it somewhere along the line, slowing its progress. And then she saw him.

She smiled.


	5. Chapter 5

_Ah, the new TV season. Just a cornucopia of insanity. But of course I have to miss Grey's Anatomy because of work. BAD._

_Anyway... uh... here's chapter 5. The drama is upon you!_

_Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar_

* * *

Katara saw Aang lying on his bedroll, awake even in the late hour. He stared vacantly at the ceiling, something clenched in his fist. A scroll.

"Can you feel him?" the guru asked as though from very far away.

"Yes… I see him…"

"Good. Now follow the energy back to yourself."

She felt it travel through him slowly, getting blocked and twisted around slightly at the wound in his back, then it flowed out of him and right back to her. She opened her eyes and suddenly felt very light-headed.

"Whoa…" she muttered, holding her head to steady the world as it spun around her.

"Yes, the process is very tiring," the guru answered her unasked question. "It uses a great deal of energy and strength, especially over such long distances."

"But I… I felt him," she said breathlessly. "I saw him…"

"You are a very skilled healer," the guru said with a smile. "You can see energy very well for one so young. I believe this is as close as we will come to opening all of your chakras. How do you feel?"

Katara thought for a moment. "Tired…" she sighed.

"Yes, I can see why you would be," the guru said somberly. "Your chakras were blocked by very powerful emotions."

He got to his feet and approached her, offering her a hand. She took it gratefully and he pulled her to her feet.

"And though separation is an illusion, it can still hurt," the guru said with a smile. "Go back to him, tell him whatever you feel you should."

Katara smiled and bowed to him. He returned the gesture.

"We will meet again soon."

Katara didn't question him. She felt far too drained to wonder about his words. Appa seemed to know it was over, because he landed on the roof moments later.

"Thank you, Guru Pahtik," she said quietly.

"I wish you safe travels," the guru replied. She smiled and turned to Appa.

"Thanks for bringing me here, Appa," she said quietly, climbing up onto his head. "But it's time for us to go back to the Fire Nation."

0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Aang didn't sleep. He couldn't stop thinking about her. Why would she just leave like that? Nothing but a note. She hadn't even told him, of all people. Didn't she care about him?

Or what if she was captured? What if someone forced her to write the note and go take Appa? Aang felt a surge of fear at the thought. But no, she would never let anyone take her away from him. She would put up a fight; she'd struggle and scream until someone knew what was happening. And besides, if someone captured her and Appa, there would have been some kind of ransom demand by now.

He sighed heavily, glancing at the window as the sunrise began to peek through. It had been two days. _More than a couple and less than a week._ Two days was a couple, so she could be coming back any time. He couldn't decide whether he'd be relieved to see her or mad at her for just taking off.

He sighed again. He'd be relieved, of course. He could never be mad at her. Especially since she had saved his life in the most literal sense of the phrase. For all intents and purposes, he had been dead. His spirit was in limbo. But she wouldn't let him die. He liked to think it was because she was secretly in love with him. The thought made him smile, albeit rather miserably.

Suddenly, Aang jumped to his feet. He was going to go find her. He reached out for his staff, only to remember it was gone. He groaned and sat back down. He couldn't stand this waiting and wondering. It was driving him crazy, not knowing where she was. It occurred to him that this must have been how she felt when he had disappeared from the Fire Nation ship a few weeks ago. Maybe this was her way of getting revenge. Giving him a taste of his own medicine. But no… Katara would never intentionally hurt him.

Aang sighed for the third time in so many minutes and sank back onto his bedroll, scroll tight in his hand. He has always thought himself a rather patient person, but this waiting thing was agonizing.

0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Katara yawned widely and blinked a few times. She had fallen asleep in Appa's saddle, but he had continued flying. She could see the Fire Nation far below them, but only faintly. Appa knew better than to leave cloud cover while flying anywhere near the Fire Nation.

"You are one incredible bison, you know that Appa?" Katara sighed appreciatively. He rumbled in response. She smiled a little and leaned back in the saddle, thinking. Even now, though she wasn't concentrating, she could feel the pull of the energy between herself and Aang. Now that the guru had made her aware of it, she would probably feel it all the time.

With a furtive glance around at the empty sky, she crossed her legs in the lotus position and closed her eyes. She focused on him, and she immediately saw the stream of energy. She followed it eagerly, craving the sensation of feeling him again, being so far away but feeling like he was right in front of her, like he was all around her and inside her. It didn't take as long to reach him this time. He was walking slowly through the streets of the city, simply following Sokka and Toph. He looked so sad…

_Aang…_

She pulled back into herself and immediately felt the dizziness. She sighed, feeling immensely guilty for running off like she did. But if she had told them, Sokka wouldn't let her go, and Aang would want to go with her. She needed to do this alone. She had no other choice. She shook her head. If she kept thinking like that, she'd just block up her chakras all over again.

0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Aang jumped and looked around. "Katara?" he said quietly.

"What's wrong?" Sokka asked, stopping to see why Aang had suddenly halted in the middle of the street.

"Oh… nothing, I just thought I heard someone say my name," Aang said hastily, striding forward to catch up with Sokka and Toph. Toph gave him a look, but he ignored it. She could tell he was lying, but he didn't care. He had just _felt_ Katara. Like she had run her fingertips up his spine and whispered his name, but nobody was there. It was strange… even for him.

"Okay, well, it's getting late," Sokka pointed out. "Maybe we should just head home."

"Yeah, that sounds good," Aang replied disinterestedly, still shaken.

When they returned this time, he didn't run through the door to check if she was there. He followed Sokka in, chanced a look around, and sighed. Three days. Something in his chest ached, though he couldn't tell what it was. He sat down on his bedroll, reached into his shirt, and pulled out the scroll. But he didn't unroll it. He just looked at it for a while.

Sokka watched him nervously. "Aang," he began, but he didn't finish. The door opened. Three heads turned.

"Katara!"

Aang was on his feet and across the room before Sokka and Toph could even register what had happened. When they had gotten their bearings, Aang and Katara were locked in a tight embrace, Katara's arms in that familiar place around his neck and Aang's hands on her back.

"Don't ever do that again," he said quietly, his voice shaking.

"I'm sorry, Aang…" she murmured. "It was just something I had to do."

"What exactly did you do?" Sokka asked angrily, choosing, unlike Aang, to be mad at her rather than relieved. "Where have you been?"

Katara pulled away and looked at the three of them. Her gaze settled miserably on a very confused Aang. "I'll tell you, but…" she began, taking one of Aang's hands in both of hers. "I need to talk to Aang first."

Toph shrugged. "Okay, go ahead," she said simply.

"What do you mean 'okay'?!" Sokka shouted.

Katara ignored him and pulled Aang across the room and into the only other room in the house, which she and Toph shared. She closed the door behind them, and Aang immediately took her into his arms again.

"Aang…" she began softly.

"I was so worried about you," he said shakily, burying his face in her shoulder and inhaling deeply. She smiled in spite of herself. "I'm sorry for doing that to you when we were on that ship. I had no idea how scary it was…"

"Shh, it's okay," she whispered, moving her shoulder slightly so he lifted his head and she could press her cheek to his instead, lips the barest distance from his ear. "Aang, I… I went to the Eastern Air Temple."

He pulled away from her, hands never leaving her waist. "What?" he said simply.

She looked down slightly, letting her hands slide to his shoulders. "I've been worried about you," she murmured, suddenly feeling rather shy. "You've just been so different… we haven't been talking like we used to. I didn't know who to turn to."

Rather than being angry that she had invaded his privacy as she thought he might, he simply looked ashamed. "So… what did the guru tell you?" he asked quietly.

Katara felt her resolve slipping. The tears were gathering in her eyes again. She pulled away from him completely, putting a few feet of space between them. He watched her with wide eyes.

"He told me… about the final chakra," she said slowly, trying desperately to keep her voice steady. His eyes widened fearfully. "And why you couldn't clear it."

Silence fell heavily between them. Katara closed her eyes and felt the tears slipping. Those stupid, rebellious tears…


	6. Chapter 6

_New Avatar in an hour and a half! I'm excited. This is where the drama starts. 100 INTENSE._

_Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar_

* * *

"Katara… I…" Aang began quietly, uncertain as to what he should say.

"I'm sorry, Aang," Katara said suddenly. He looked up at her and was surprised to see the anguish in her face. "I'm so sorry…"

"Why?" he asked, bewildered. He took an automatic step toward her to comfort her, but she held up a hand to stop him.

"No… you have to listen to me first…" she said quickly. He nodded. "I know I'm usually the one who helps you through these things…" she began haltingly, staring determinedly at her feet. "I'm the one who tells you to keep going, to do whatever it takes to master the elements, to master the Avatar State, to stop the war. But…"

She looked up at him and bit her lip, trying not to think about how much she just wanted him to hold her…

"But I… I can't make the decision for you this time…" she said quietly, her voice finally wavering as she began to cry. He immediately stepped toward her again, but she just shook her head. "I can't… because I don't want you to let me go."

Aang's eyes widened again. "Katara…"

"I know, I know," she burst out before he could continue, closing her eyes so she wouldn't have to see the look on his face. "I'm being selfish, I know. But I just… I can't help it." She smiled sadly and opened her eyes, looking straight at him. "I love you, Aang."

He looked as though he'd been punched in the stomach.

"Yeah, nice timing, right?" she laughed bitterly, wiping her eyes in vain. "So I… I just can't tell you that you should let me go, that you should choose the world over me, because… I don't want you to. I need you to love me."

Aang looked down and wiped his eyes on the back of his hand. Katara pushed on recklessly.

"I know it's wrong, and I know you shouldn't choose me, and I know that because you're so wonderful you won't choose me, but I had to tell you that I won't ask you to because…" she stopped for a moment, unable to stop a sob from escaping her. "Because even if you forget about me, I'll keep loving you. I could never… I just… I won't ever stop loving you." Aang still wouldn't look up, so she continued, no longer even trying to stop her tears. "And I hear myself saying this, asking you to choose me, and I know how crazy it sounds, but then I think of how great we would be together…"

"Katara, stop," Aang finally said, his voice heavy. Katara looked up at him desperately and saw the tears in his eyes. She looked away, angry at herself for making him cry, but he just pulled her into his arms and let her break down. "We would be great together," he said quietly, and she just clung to him tighter, crying into his shoulder.

"I'll still love you, Aang," she whispered fiercely. "You can let me go… if you have to… but I can't let go of you. I know how much it means to you… that I love you…"

"The fourth chakra," Aang guessed quietly. She just nodded against his shoulder.

"Have you… tried to go into the Avatar State since then?"

"No…" Aang muttered. "I don't want to let you go."

Katara choked back the sob that wanted to be heard so badly. They were holding onto each other so tight it hurt. Her knees felt weak, but she stayed on her feet. She had to be at least a little strong for him.

"But… I have to…"

"I know…"

"I'm sorry."

"Don't… don't be sorry. It's just the way it is." Katara pulled away from him gently, wiping her eyes again. "I suppose… I should… go…"

Aang looked down. "That would probably be best."

She nodded and turned toward the door. "Goodbye, then," she whispered. But before she could move any farther, his hand was on her shoulder, turning her back to face him. He took her firmly by the arms and pulled her close, tilting his head toward hers. She exhaled shakily and leaned closer to him in anticipation. They never broke eye contact as his lips hovered over hers, his breath driving her mad. One of his hands slid down her arm and laced their fingers together. His lips inched closer. He was going to kiss her… he was going to…

But he closed his eyes and pulled away. Her instincts told her to stop him, to keep him close, and she held tight to his hand as he tried to pull away. But he looked back at her, tears in his eyes again, and she let go. No… he wouldn't kiss her. He wouldn't give her a taste, only to have it taken from her. He was doing this for her. Her hand came up over her mouth to hold in a sob as he retreated across the room, settling on the floor with his back to her.

She turned resolutely toward the door, but her hand paused on the doorknob when a small voice from behind her reached her ears.

"I love you."

She couldn't hold it in any longer. She let out a cry, barely muffled by the hand clasped over her mouth, and pushed through the door before he could react.

She slammed the door behind her and slid to the floor against it, biting her lip to stop from crying out again. She looked up to find Toph and Sokka standing quite still in the center of the room. Sokka had clearly just finished demanding that Toph tell him what was going on in there. Toph, on the other hand, was wearing an expression Katara had never seen on her before. She looked stricken, staring at Katara in such sadness and shock that Katara didn't know how to react.

"Katara…" Toph began faintly.

"What, what's wrong? What happened?" Sokka asked urgently.

Katara just closed her eyes and shook her head, pulling her knees up to her chin. It shocked her to the core when, moments later, she felt Toph sit down beside her and wrap an arm around her shoulders in a one-armed hug, the most selfless and comforting gesture she'd ever seen Toph perform. Katara looked over at her in surprise, and Toph just shook her head.

"I'm sorry," she muttered.

"Thanks, Toph," Katara whispered, staring at her knees.

And the two girls sat like that for quite some time. Sokka knew better than to question them; he had been as shocked as Katara when Toph had hugged her. So he quietly sat down on the other side of the room to sharpen his boomerang, keeping the others under his protective eye, as always.

After two hours of silence, however, Katara's timid voice broke through the quiet.

"Is he… is he okay in there?" she asked quietly, sounding much meeker than Sokka and Toph were used to.

"He's fine," Toph replied just as quietly, removing her slightly aching arm from Katara's shoulders. "He hasn't moved at all since you came in here."

Katara nodded a little. "Thanks…"

"No problem."

Katara sniffed and wiped her eyes roughly. She was tired of crying.

"So… are you ready to tell me what happened?" Sokka asked gently from across the room. Katara glanced up at him. He looked worried. She smiled a little, grateful for his concern, and nodded.

"Yeah, I guess…" she sighed. "I mean… what else is there to do?"

So she told them everything the guru had told her. At least, everything but the more personal parts of her own chakra clearing session. When she was done, she looked at her feet and fell silent.

"So you're really in love with him."

Katara looked up at Sokka. He was watching her with a mixture of curiosity and sympathy. She simply nodded.

"And this guru just expects you to keep pining for him for the rest of your life?" he added bitterly.

Katara let out a humorless laugh. "I guess," she responded tonelessly. "Not that I could ever stop loving him anyway."

"Is it really worth it?" Toph asked suddenly. They both looked at her.

"Is what?" Katara asked quietly.

"The Avatar State," she clarified simply. "I mean… as much as I pester him about his training, Aang is really strong on his own. Does he even need the Avatar State so badly that he would sacrifice his happiness?"

The siblings stared at her as if they'd never seen her before.

"What? I'm not just some insensitive jerk," she snapped defensively. "I choose to act insensitive."

"That's a good question, Toph," Katara sighed. "The biggest drawback of the Avatar State is that he can't control it. But if he lets me go… he'll be able to."

Toph snorted. "Doesn't sound like a good enough reason to me," she grumbled.

Katara didn't respond. She returned her gaze to her knees, trying to ignore the horrible aching in her chest. _In place of grief, you must have hope._ She shook her head a little. What hope could possibly bring her through this? What had she done so wrong to deserve this? Had she angered the fates somehow so she would fall in love with the one man who could never love her?

"I've lost him…" she murmured. She didn't care what the guru said. She didn't care if her chakras were filled with stone. All she could feel was grief. Hope… hope wasn't meant for people like her. People who held the weight of the world on their shoulders, whether they wanted it or not.

But no matter how many times she told herself to stop hoping…

She couldn't help but wonder why Aang was taking so long.

Maybe he couldn't go into the Avatar State at all. Maybe it was damaged when he fell.

Or maybe…

He just loved her too much.

She smiled bitterly. Oh… wouldn't that be something. The whole world brought to its knees by the epic romance of the Avatar and the waterbending peasant. She blinked the tears away before they could form and inwardly cursed her weakness. She couldn't help but hope.

Toph sat up suddenly. "He's moving," she hissed. Katara's head jerked up from her knees and Sokka dropped his boomerang. They all got to their feet, waiting. Katara felt like she couldn't breathe. When he walked out of that door, he would either be completely free of any connection to her, or he would be collapsing in upon himself with the sheer weight of all the emotion between them.

The door banged open. She was sure her heart stopped.


	7. Chapter 7

_Sorry, but I have to freak out for a second. THE HEADBAND SPOILERS INCOMING_

_Oh the dance! Ahhh I was freakin' out, guys! LOVES IT. As soon as Aang said he was having a dance, I was like "Aang's soooo gonna dance with that one girl and Katara's soooo gonna get jealous and they're soooo gonna dance togetherrrrrr." I just didn't expect it to be such SWEET PWNAGE._

_Okay I'm done now. Without further cliffhanger, I mean ado, here is the seventh chapter._

_Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar _

* * *

The room was silent for a moment as Aang emerged in the doorway, then fell against the door frame and stumbled to his knees. 

"Aang!" Katara shouted, dropping to her knees and catching him against her as he fell forward.

"Aang, what happened?" she gasped, panic-stricken. She gently took his shoulders and sat him up, holding him in an upright position with one hand and reaching up to his cheek with the other. He looked up at her dazedly, and she saw his eyes focus on her intently.

"Katara…" he muttered.

"Aang," she sighed in relief. "Thank goodness…"

"Katara… I'm sorry," he whispered, his voice strained as he struggled to stay focused on her.

Her heart plummeted. "S…sorry?" she repeated breathlessly. "For what?"

"I… I couldn't…" he began with difficulty. Her heart sped up to an alarming rate. "I couldn't… the chakra… it's locked." Katara's eyes widened and she inhaled sharply. "I couldn't… let you go."

The room fell silent again and Katara closed her eyes. He loved her. He still loved her. The sob she had been holding in for hours came flying out of her in the form of a laugh and she pulled herself against him, crying with relief. She felt him laughing weakly.

"You're not mad at me?" he asked quietly.

"How could I be mad at you?" she laughed through her tears. "You still… I mean you can… you…"

"I love you," he finished for her, his voice stronger now as he regained his bearings. He pulled back from her and smiled. "I love you so much, Katara."

Katara just smiled back at him. She laughed a little, looking down. "I suppose I shouldn't be this happy…" she admitted. "Since you can't go into the Avatar State. But I can't help it…"

Aang looked down as well. "I'm glad that you're happy," he said lowly. "I don't know if I can be, though."

Katara responded immediately, pulling him into a gentle embrace. "It'll be okay," she said quietly. "You're… you're sure it's blocked?"

Aang sighed heavily. "Pretty sure… I mean, I meditated for hours, but the cosmic energy just wouldn't come in," he muttered. "I did what the guru told me… I let my attachments flow away from me, and I got to the path in the sky that would take me to the Avatar State… but it was broken."

Katara tightened her hold on him a little. He responded automatically, arms tightening around her waist. Neither of them noticed Sokka place a hand on Toph's shoulder and steer her out of the room, though she wasn't resisting. They knew they had to give the two of them some time.

"And the Avatar State itself… it looks like me, only huge and black with glowing tattoos… it had fallen," Aang continued quietly. "I could see it… far below me, just kind of floating there… but I couldn't get to it. And the piece of the path I was standing on broke, and I fell, and then I was awake again."

"I'm sorry," Katara whispered, pulling away from him gently so she could see his face.

"Thanks," he said with a small smile. "I don't feel as bad, though, knowing that it makes you happy."

Katara laughed contentedly. "You're wonderful, you know that don't you?"

Aang shrugged. "Oh, you know, I've been told," he said airily.

Katara laughed, all traces of her tears gone. She leaned toward him and he took the hint eagerly, drawing closer. For the second time that day, she was about to kiss him, and it was thrilling. She saw him smile in anticipation, and then…

"Aang!"

Toph burst into the room at the sound of Katara's shout. Sokka followed her and found Katara leaning over Aang, who had just collapsed on the floor.

0 0 0 0 0 0 0

"What are you talking about? You just got back."

"I know, Sokka, but who else can help him?"

Toph remained entirely silent while Sokka and Katara bickered. Katara had convinced Sokka to carry Aang out to Appa. Apparently he hadn't figured out that Katara was taking Aang to see the guru.

"The guru said he'd see me again soon," Katara said darkly, tightening the reins on Appa's horns. "I didn't understand why, but… he knew something like this would happen."

"I don't know if I trust this guru guy…" Sokka replied grumpily. "Tell me again why Toph and I can't come?"

"She said it three times already, Sokka," Toph said suddenly. "It's just something she needs to do. What's the matter, scared of being alone with me for three days?" She punched him in the shoulder, smirking. He winced, but tried to make it seem like he hadn't.

"No, I just don't think splitting up is the best idea right now," he snapped.

"Well, it's what we're doing," Katara sighed, climbing up onto Appa's head. She glanced back to make sure Aang was safely in the saddle. "I'll be fine, Sokka. Don't worry."

"Yeah, but-"

"And you guys wondered why she didn't tell us she was leaving the first time," Toph burst out, grabbing Sokka by the elbow. "Enjoy your trip, Katara. Make sure that guru guy doesn't mess Aang up any more."

"Thanks, Toph," Katara said with a faint smile. "Bye Sokka."

"Hey… wait… but!" Sokka stammered as Toph pulled him forcibly backward. "Oh fine! Help Aang out, Katara! And don't do anything stupid."

Katara just smiled bemusedly as they disappeared from the forest. She looked up at the dark sky and sighed. "Ready, Appa?" He rumbled in reply and took off into the night air, once again leaving the Fire Nation behind them.

0 0 0 0 0 0 0

"Hello again, Katara."

Katara jumped down from Appa's head onto the flat roof of the highest point of the temple. The guru was sitting in the same place she had left him. The sun had just begun to set, making the scene look very different from her last visit.

"Guru Pahtik, it's Aang," she said hurriedly, forgoing the pleasantries. "He tried to go into the Avatar State, but his seventh chakra was locked and then he just collapsed…"

The guru just nodded and climbed into Appa's saddle, lifting Aang into his arms with surprising strength. He leapt down onto the roof and laid Aang carefully in the center. He sat down beside Aang's unconscious form and gestured for Katara to do the same. She sat down across from the guru, her eyes never leaving the young Avatar.

"You may go find rest, Appa," the guru said quietly. Appa took off, leaving the three of them alone on the roof.

Katara finally tore her eyes from Aang and looked up at the guru. His eyes were closed as if in meditation.

"What happened to him?" Katara demanded quietly. "You knew I would be back here. You knew something would happen. Please… what happened to him?"

The guru opened his eyes and gave her a steady look. "Tell me exactly what happened when you returned," he said calmly.

Katara nodded and recounted the previous evening, smoothing over the more emotional details. She chose to leave out any part that involved herself and Aang nearly kissing.

"And then he just… collapsed. One second he was smiling at me and the next he was on the floor."

The guru was silent for quite some time. Katara didn't prod him. She periodically reached forward and placed a hand on his forehead to make sure he didn't have a fever, and in the meantime she simply held onto his hand.

"He said the path was broken?" the guru said suddenly, making Katara jump slightly.

"Yes, and he saw the Avatar Spirit floating below him," Katara confirmed quietly. "He said it had fallen."

Guru Pahtik fell silent again. Katara held in a sigh. The sun continued sinking below the horizon as the rooftop sat in silence, but she didn't say a word. At least she wasn't crying.

"Aang will never be able to reach the Avatar State," the guru finally said. "From what you told me he saw, it sounds as though it has been damaged beyond repair, the seventh chakra locked completely."

Katara opened her mouth to say something, but found she had no reply. She simply looked down.

"When the princess struck him with lightning, he was not fully in the Avatar State, so the reincarnation cycle will continue," the guru said quietly. "However, the Avatar State may or may not be inherited by the next Avatar. That is unclear to me. All I know for sure is that the Avatar State is lost to Aang."

Katara nodded. "But… that's okay," Katara replied delicately. "Toph said it right… Aang is really strong on his own, without the Avatar State. And we're here too… Sokka and Toph… and me."

The guru smiled a little. "But that is just part of the reason you are not disappointed, is it not?"

Katara smiled sheepishly. "He still loves me, Guru Pahtik," she said simply.

The guru's smile grew slightly. "And I am glad of that," he replied genuinely. "If there are any two people in this world who deserve happiness, you and Aang are very high on the list."

"Thank you," she said with a smile which faded when her eyes returned to Aang's face. "But… do you know what's wrong with him?"

The guru frowned and looked pensively at the young Avatar. "I believe it is emotional stress combined with the shock of finding his chakras locked."

"Emotional stress?"

"Yes. From what you have told me, a great deal has come down upon him since he woke up," the guru said thoughtfully. "He feels he needs to redeem himself. The day of the invasion is approaching, and he has yet to find a firebending teacher. He knows he must face the Fire Lord alone. He does not wish to put you in any danger, or any of your other friends, but there is still the Princess to contend with. And the Prince as well. Now, he cannot enter the Avatar State, which he considered to be his secret weapon."

Katara sighed. Yes… he did have a lot to contend with.

"But I'll help him through it."

The guru looked up at her. Her eyes were focused softly on Aang's face, and she was smiling faintly.

"No matter what happens… everything will be okay, as long as we're together."

The guru smiled at her. She looked up at him and smiled as well.

"All of us," she continued. "Sokka, Toph, Aang, and me. We'll be okay, the four of us. As long as we're watching out for each other, everything will be fine."

"You are sure?" the guru asked with a hint of amusement.

Katara laughed a little. "No, but it's just one of those things I have to believe in," she said with a shrug. "I believe that… despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary, we're all going to be okay."

The guru was no longer trying to contain his smile. "Love can make such remarkable transformations happen to such remarkable people," he said simply. Katara looked rather perplexed, so he continued. "When you left here last, it was with a heavy heart. Now, Aang can give you the love you need, and your outlook on the future has changed entirely."

Katara smiled. "Remarkable transformations… that seems right," she agreed quietly. Her gaze returned to Aang. "So… he'll be okay."

"Yes, he will," the guru confirmed with a nod of his head. "He just needs time to rest and recover from the shock of losing the Avatar State."

Katara bowed her head. "Thanks again, Guru Pahtik."

"You are welcome to stay here until he wakes," the guru replied, returning the bow. "In fact, that would probably be best. I wish to speak with him."

"Okay," Katara agreed. "I'll just uh…"

"Allow me," the guru said in answer to her unasked question, scooping Aang into his arms and leading the way down off the roof. Katara smiled and followed him.


	8. Chapter 8

_Well, here's the last one. Hope you enjoyed it! I'm not entirely sure I like it anymore, so it's a good thing I put it up when I did._

_Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar_

* * *

She couldn't sleep. She never could when he was in a comatose state like this. After they had escaped Ba Sing Sei, she hadn't slept in four days, remaining by his side constantly until her brother had to forcibly remove her from him.

Granted, this wasn't nearly as bad. She watched him sleep with a sort of concerned curiosity. Emotional stress… had he always been under this much emotional stress? Had he just always been able to hide it from her?

Katara frowned and reached toward him, carefully brushing his hair up from his forehead. How much did he hide from her?

Appa grumbled at her and she jumped. She glanced back at the bison in alarm. "Sorry, didn't realize I was keeping you awake," she said quietly, smiling a little. She put out the small campfire she had made on the floor of the temple and lied down beside Aang.

She continued studying him silently, only able to see him by the moonlight streaming in through the crumbling roof. She smiled a little when he sighed in his sleep.

"Good night, Aang," she whispered, leaning toward him and kissing his cheek.

Aang didn't wake until the sun had just begun to rise. He opened his eyes, and the first thing he saw was her. He smiled a little. Then he sat bolt upright.

The Eastern Air Temple? How did he get there? He looked around wildly. Appa was asleep nearby. There was a small campfire smoking a few feet away. Katara was lying next to him on her bedroll. It was dawn.

He had been in the Fire Nation. It had been nightfall. The last thing he remembered was leaning toward Katara. They were going to kiss. He had really, really wanted to kiss her.

So how had he ended up back at the Eastern Air Temple?

Aang thought seriously of waking Katara so he could get that kiss, but he let her sleep and got to his feet. As soon as he was out of hearing distance, he began calling for the guru.

"Guru Pahtik? Guru Pahtik, where are you?"

"Ah, Aang! Lovely to see you awake!"

Aang turned around and saw the guru out on a wide balcony flooded with morning sunlight. He was in some complicated yoga position. Aang took a moment to stare. He had only seen yoga once, and another guru had been performing it. It was a very old art, and Aang had thought it lost.

With a brisk shake of his head, Aang bowed. "It's good to see you again, Guru Pahtik," he said quietly.

"And you as well," the guru said with a smile, untangling himself with considerable ease and sitting in the lotus position. "Please, sit."

Aang sat down in front of him, looked awkwardly at the ground for a moment, and launched into an explanation before he could stop himself.

"I'm sorry I really did try to get into the Avatar State I just couldn't and I know it seems like I would actually not try because I would have to give up Katara and now you've met her and you know how amazing she is and nobody in their right mind would give up someone like her but I actually did try more than once in fact you were there the first time and the second time I was struck by lightning and then-"

"Aang, stop, please," the guru interrupted, laughing helplessly and allowing Aang to take a breath. "Katara has told me what happened to you. You may calm yourself."

Aang nodded, taking long, deep breaths.

"Good," the guru said serenely. "Katara informed me of your apparent death and revival. I told her that either the Avatar State was damaged beyond repair, or you would have to give her up. She did not take it very well at all."

Aang smiled in spite of himself. He could just imagine Katara sitting with the guru, shouting like she always did when she was passionate about something. Passionate about him… the thought made him smile even more.

"Barely two days later, she is back, but this time she brought you as well," Pahtik said, smiling. "She told me what you said about the broken path. I have come to the conclusion that the Avatar State has been damaged. Perhaps permanently."

Aang's eyes widened a little.

"I do not know if future incarnations will have access to it. I am fairly sure, however, that you do not. But," the guru was grinning now. "Katara informed me that you are very strong without the Avatar State, and that as long as you are with her, everything will be okay."

Aang grinned as well. "Yeah… she's right."

The guru smiled faintly, looking at Aang in a reserved sort of way. "You do love her, don't you Aang?" he asked quietly. "Because I have known her for precious few days, and already I can tell that she should not be hurt again."

Aang nodded solemnly. "Yes Guru Pahtik, I do love her," he said simply. "And you're right. She deserves better than she's gotten so far in her life. That's why I think we could be so great together. She makes me happy, and I feel like… I can make sure she never gets hurt again."

"A noble cause," the guru said, satisfied. "But you have another cause to attend to first. Do not forget."

"I know, I have to learn to firebend and defeat the Fire Lord before the comet arrives," Aang rattled off automatically. He allowed himself a smile. "But I'll be honest. For the first time in a long time, it seems possible."

"It is more than possible, Aang," the guru said gently, beaming at him. "I have the utmost confidence in you."

Aang stood up and bowed. "Thank you."

"You are welcome," the guru said, bowing his head sagely. "Now go. You have already been prevented from kissing her twice. Don't miss out on a third chance!"

Aang stared at him for a second, reddening from his ears to his toes, before letting out a laugh and running off into the temple.

0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Katara opened her eyes slowly. She was very comfortable for some reason. She sat up and yawned, stretching her arms over her head. Only then did she notice Aang sitting several feet away, leaning against Appa's leg and watching her. She jumped. He smiled.

"Sorry, I was just watching you sleep," he admitted instantly.

She smiled back at him. "Why? I can't be that exciting of a sleeper."

"I don't know… you just seem so peaceful," Aang continued with a shrug, excitedly noting her standing up and walking toward him. She sat down beside him and smiled.

"I'm peaceful now, too," she said quietly. "Now that you're okay."

Aang blushed and grinned. "You're wonderful," he said quietly, nudging her shoulder. She laughed a little, but didn't respond. "So… what happened to me exactly?"

"Well, you told me you couldn't go into the Avatar State," Katara recounted slowly. "And we were about to… uh… we were…" She trailed off, blushing. "You just sort of collapsed. So I brought you here."

Aang smiled a little in amusement. "Did the guru say why I collapsed?"

"He said it was because of emotional stress," Katara paused and looked at him. "Aang… are you always stressed like this?"

"Well… not like this," he muttered evasively.

"Aang… why didn't you tell anyone?" _Why didn't you tell me?_

"It's my problem," he said quietly, avoiding looking at her. "I don't want to burden anyone else." He jumped a little when he felt her fingertips on his cheek. He turned and looked at her. She was smiling again.

"Well it's my problem now too," she said softly. "You can always come to me. Okay?"

Aang nodded, impulsively taking her hand in his as he did so. "Okay."

Katara looked away from him for a moment, restraining the urge to kiss him with great difficulty. "Um… Aang? What's the uh… last thing you remember before you collapsed?" she asked, unable to keep her voice casual.

Aang smirked. "Well," he began, leaning toward her. "We were right about here." He stopped when their faces were just inches apart. Her eyes were wide, and he laughed a little. "Right?"

"Right," Katara replied simply. He was so close to her… she could practically taste his breath. She felt herself blushing, but she ignored it and smirked back at him. The hand that he wasn't holding slid up to his shoulder, steadying herself. She tilted her head a little. "I love you."

Aang couldn't take it anymore. Holding those inches between them was almost physically painful. He closed the distance.

_Finally._

Her eyes slid closed instantly and she sighed, her arms finding that comfortable place around his neck and his hands settling on her waist. He felt his heart rate increase alarmingly, but the taste of her lips shoved any thoughts of his heart right out of his mind. They had kissed once before… just a brief contact of the lips in the Cave of Two Lovers, but it had been enough to leave them both wanting more. This was definitely the more they both wanted.

Katara felt his lips move against hers and blushed. She laughed a little, amazed that she could be blushing right now, and she felt him laugh as well. In a few more moments, however, she was no longer blushing. Nor was she thinking about the fact that she wasn't blushing. She was too caught up immersing herself in him entirely.

After several minutes and with a great deal of difficulty, Aang pulled his lips from hers. She simply moved forward slightly, following his lips with her own out of instinct, but he stopped her. She let out a groan of protest which made him smile.

"I love you more," he replied. She burst out laughing and didn't fall silent until he kissed her again.

Appa let out an annoyed grunt and they both jumped, looking over at the bison in surprise. He was glaring at them. They both blushed in embarrassment.

"Sorry, Appa…" Katara muttered. "We didn't mean to make you uncomfortable."

"We should probably go back to the Fire Nation," Aang pointed out. Katara nodded and they both got to their feet. Katara was about to climb up onto Appa's saddle, but Aang grabbed her hand and pulled her into a swift kiss. When he pulled away, she looked a little dazed.

"What was that for?" she asked with a grin.

Aang shrugged. "That first one was great," he said simply. "Just wanted to give it another try."

Katara laughed as she climbed up into the saddle, unable to keep the dreamy smile from her face. Aang couldn't stop grinning either as he sat on Appa's head and took the reins. Unfortunately for Appa, it was a day's flight back to the Fire Nation, and Aang spent much of that day facing backward on Appa's head while Katara leaned forward out of the saddle.

After all, that first one was great.


End file.
